Got major contamination in my brew

Something crazy happened.

Out of my last 8 batches of mead and beer 6 came out infected. I am cleaning my equipment with PBW and sanitizing with Starsan.

I make my batches in the kitchen (both beer and meads). Using clean tools, always keep at most 3-4 days old bucket with starsan solution, and yet, get every 3 out of 4 batches infected.

Does it mean that I got some nasty air bacteria in the air that lands into a carboy? Or can any bacteria survive in Starsan solution? If that is in fact an equipment issue, would bleaching it help? If that is an air bacteria in the kitchen, what's the best solution for that? If that is a fermentation chamber issue (issues happen even if I ferment outside of it) what's the best and most effective way to sanitise it?

Update: This is a new problem. Brewed for 3.5 years. Pretty successfully. Won multiple awards at the State level. Meads I don't boil and usually use different equipment/carboys for them. I changed all hoses and got a brand new 1.5 gallon carboy and few 1 gallon jugs. Got new stoppers and airlocks. Every once in a while I open the lid and ad staggered nutrients.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm loosing really good batches, and money...

Topic disinfecting sanitizer bacteria sanitation homebrew

Category Mac

1
answered at

Time for a good sterilizing.

Break all your equipment down that comes in contact with cooled wort, and use a sterilizing cleaner or boil the parts if they can handle the temperature.

Dismantle all valves. (even on hot kettles)

Remove fittings from lines.

Use line brushes on all lines.

Dismantle bottling wand.

If you use a plate or counter flow chiller, rubber seals can be removed and you can bake the chiller in the oven to sterilize.

Some basic brewday tips.

Make sure hot wort runs through plate/counter flow for a few minutes before turning on chill water on every use. Place emersion chillers in the wort while on boil for a few minutes before too.

Cover all openings of cool side equipment with foil until ready for use. Lines, carboy, etc.

Make sure all fermenter airlock equipment is sanitized and use a sanitizer like starsan for the airlock fluid.

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